Hair retainer and methods of use

ABSTRACT

A hair retainer and method of use. The hair retainer includes a central body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a first loop extending from the first end of the central body, and a second loop extending from the second end of the central body. Bunched hair is placed through the first loop, the central body is wrapped around the head, and the bunched hair is placed through the second loop.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is related to hair retainers and more particularly to apparatuses and methods for holding hair back and away from one's face.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Headbands have been used to hold long hair and prevent sweat or water transfer from the head to the face and from the face to the head or to prevent hair from falling in the wearer's face. Headbands are typically formed of a band of elastic made to circle one's head and may be worn at forehead height in the front and between the head and neck in the back. Headbands may also have an absorbent material to absorb sweat or other liquids.

Ponytail holders have been used to hold bunched hair. Ponytail holders typically comprise an elastic band that wraps around the bunched hair.

In the most basic form, headbands may comprise a single band of elastic, absorbent material sized to encircle the wearer's head. Headbands may have both an aesthetic and a utilitarian function. Ponytail holders have also existed in the prior art to assist in holding long hair and for purposes of fashion. The present invention, however, has a novel design, serves a purpose not specifically contemplated in prior designs, and forms a novel combination of these devices.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20050061345 discloses a headband that can be used as a cosmetic wrap to keep the wearer's hair out of her face while washing or applying cosmetics. That headband is said to consist of a cylindrical band of flexible material with an elongated slit provided along a portion of the circumference. In use, the user is said to first put it on in the manner of an ordinary headband and subsequently pull her hair through the slit.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,422 discloses a combined headband and hair-retainer. That device includes an elastic, absorbent headband having a hair retainer attached thereto. The hair retainer is an elongated member which is sufficiently flexible to be deformed by hand from one shape to another sufficiently rigid to retain any shape into which it is formed. Hair is said to be retained by gathering hair into a pony-tail form and twisting the hair-retainer around the pony-tail to retain the hair in this form.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,544 discloses a combination headband and ponytail holder. The combination headband and ponytail holder includes a first flat band adapted for encircling a person's head, the band including an aperture for receiving a ponytail therethrough, and a second band adapted for encircling and holding a person's ponytail, the second band being attached to the first band and defining a second aperture aligned with the first aperture and sized to receive the ponytail therethrough. The first and second bands are selectively adjustable, and may comprise, for example, an elastic material.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,408,451 discloses an adjustable hair fastener. That hair fastener includes a first elastic band formed of an elastic cord, and a second elastic band formed of an elastic cord longer than the elastic cord of the first elastic band and wound round the elastic cord of the first elastic band. The hair fastener is said to operate with the relatively shorter elastic cord of the first elastic band wrapping up the horse tail hair. Further, the adjustable hair fastener is said to be adjusted for use as a hair bandage by extending out the elastic cord of the second elastic band and pushing the first elastic band toward one end of the second elastic band.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,532 is for a head band, hair band and hair gathering device. That device includes two or more joined flexible textile loops featuring adjustable circumferences. The first loop is intended to wrap around the users head and serve as a head/hair band. The second loop or loops is/are attached to the primary loop at the location(s) from which gathered hair, i.e. ponytail/pigtails/hair braid(s), are intended to be secured. The gathered hair is routed through the second loop(s) and secured by tensioning of slide device(s) defining the loop circumferences. In the one embodiment, a single length of a flexible textile cordage is routed over the wearers head and both ends are then routed through a first slide device positioned underneath the hair at the back of the head. The hair is then gathered and the cord ends are routed around opposite sides of the gathered hair, and tensioned and secured with a second slide device.

U.S. Design Pat. No. 443,954 discloses another combined headband and hair retainer.

U-shaped flexible plastic headbands slip easily, break easily, and typically leave an indentation in hair. Elastic bands also slip easily, break easily, and leave an indentation in hair.

A consistent problem with prior art head bands and hair retaining devices, however, has been an inability to keep the hand band securely in place while in use. Prior devices tend to slide down onto the forehead and sometimes cover the eyes of the user or to slide up over the top of the head of the user. Such movement can require that the user remove, reposition, or replace the head band. Such manipulation can be time consuming and can be troublesome when the hands of the user are in use in another task, may be wet, may be engaged with grooming products, or may otherwise be occupied. Accordingly, there is a need for a hair retainer that consistently remains in place while freeing the hands of the user for other purposes.

Breakage and other failure of head bands and hair retaining material are other issues users experience when using prior art devices. Not only do prior art devices suffer from breakage, they also lose elasticity. Such breakage and loss of elasticity sometimes happen because prior art designs require the user to overstretch those devices to fit the devices to the head of the user in such a way as to minimize the device moving out of place. Accordingly, there is a need for a hair retainer that is resistant to breakage and stretching out of shape.

Another issue with prior art devices is the inability to easily clean them. Lack of washability causes prior art headbands and hair retaining devices to be disposed of regularly, filling land fills and creating expense for users. Because hair retaining devices are frequently in contact with make-up and grooming products they can become discolored, dirty, or otherwise undesirable for continued use after just a few uses. Accordingly, there is a need for a hair retainer that is easily cleaned.

The need for multiple devices to hold hair is another distinct disadvantage to many prior art devices. For example, in the prior art, one appurtenance may be used to bind the hair together, for example in a pony tail, while another appurtenance is used to hold the hair back out of the face of the user. Use of multiple devices may be time consuming and inconvenient, for example if one device is not at hand. Accordingly, it would be a benefit to have a single device to perform both the hair binding function and the hair placement function.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved hair retainer that holds gathered hair away from the face of the user while not suffering from the many drawbacks of prior art hair bands and hair retaining devices. There is also a need for a hair retainer that is simple to use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are employed to designate like components, are included to provide a further understanding of hair retainer apparatuses and methods of use, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, and show embodiments of those apparatuses and methods that together with the description serve to explain those apparatuses and methods.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent according to the following description exemplified by the drawings, which are shown by way of example only, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of an embodiment of a hair retainer;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the hair retainer illustrated in FIG. 1 in use;

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of putting on a first end of the hair retainer; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a view of an attachment of putting on a second end of the hair retainer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment, a hair retainer of the present invention includes a central body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a first loop extending from the first end of the central body, and a second loop extending from the second end of the central body. In that embodiment, the bunched hair is placed through the first loop, the central body is wrapped around the head, and the bunched hair is placed through the second loop.

In one embodiment, a hair retainer includes a rolled fabric having a hole therethrough, a first end, and a second end. The hair retainer also includes a stretchable cord situated within the hole in the rolled fabric, the stretchable cord having a first end and a second end. A first loop may be attached to the first end of the stretchable cord and extend beyond the first end of the rolled fabric, and a second loop may be attached to the second end of the stretchable cord and extend beyond the second end of the rolled fabric.

A method of using a hair retainer is also provided. That method includes placing a bunched group of hair strands through a first loop in a hair retainer, wrapping the body of the hair retainer around the head and placing the bunched group of hair strands through a second loop of the hair retainer.

Other embodiments, which may include one or more portions of the aforementioned apparatuses and methods or other parts or elements, are also contemplated, and may have a broader or different scope than the aforementioned apparatuses and methods. Thus, the embodiments in this Summary of the Invention are mere examples, and are not intended to limit or define the scope of the invention or claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made to embodiments of apparatuses and methods of a hair retainer and operation of a hair retainer, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. Details, features, and advantages of those hair retainers and methods of use will become further apparent in the following detailed description of embodiments thereof.

Any reference in the specification to “one embodiment,” “a certain embodiment,” or a similar reference to an embodiment is intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such terms in various places in the specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. References to “or” are furthermore intended as inclusive, so “or” may indicate one or another of the ored terms or more than one ored term.

For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “lateral,” “longitudinal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the concept as it is oriented in the drawing figures. However, it is to be understood that the concept may assume various alternative variations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the concept. Accordingly, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting.

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of an embodiment of a hair retainer 100 of the present invention laid flat. That embodiment includes a central fabric segment 102 having a first end 104 and a second end 106. A first loop 110 is attached to the central fabric segment 102 at its first end 104 and a second loop 112 is attached to the central fabric segment 102 at its second end 106.

In one embodiment, the hair retainer 100 is formed of a single continuous piece of stretchable or elastic material. The material from which the hair retainer 100 is made may be a cloth and elastic blend to provide absorbency, stretchability, and beauty. The central fabric segment 102 may be approximately three inches (3″) wide and approximately twelve inches (12″) long. The first loop 110 and the second loop 112 may be thinner elastic or elastic blend materials than the central fabric segment 102 and may be, for example, one-eighth inch (⅛″) to one-quarter inch (¼″) elastic cord or hair ties. The first loop 110 and the second loop 112 may be sewn or otherwise attached to the central fabric segment 102 or the first loop 110 and the second loop 112 may be formed with the central fabric segment 102.

In an embodiment, the central fabric segment 102 may be decorative and may be a fashion accent piece. In certain embodiments, the central fabric segment 102 may be shaped as a hollow tube forming a hole 108 therein. Thus, for example, the central fabric segment 102 may be created by taking a rectangle of fabric or other desired material, rolling the fabric back on itself, and sewing opposing ends of the fabric to one another to form a tube of fabric or other material. In such an embodiment, the central fabric segment 102 may form a wall with the hole 108 running therethrough. The hole 108 may, furthermore, be round, like the hold that runs through a pipe, square, or another desired shape.

The central fabric segment 102 may be formed, in whole or in part, of an absorbent fabric. The central fabric segment 102 may alternatively be formed of a non-absorbent material so as not to absorb water or sweat, but rather act as a moisture barrier. In its non-absorbent form, the central fabric segment 102 may prevent water on the face of the wearer from moving to the wearer's hair or prevent sweat or other moisture from the wearer's head from moving to the wearer's face, neck or body.

The first and second loops 110 and 112 may be formed of a stretchable material, such as elastic, or may be made of any fabric or cord material desired. The first and second loops 110 and 112 may, in whole or in part, be made of absorbent material or non-absorbent material, as desired to direct moisture into the loop 110 and 112 material or away from the loop 110 and 112 material.

In an embodiment, the first and second loops 110 and 112 are formed of a continuous loop of stretchable fabric 114 that is disposed through a hollow central fabric segment 102 such that the first loop 110 extends from the first end 104 of the central fabric segment 102 and the second loop 112 extends from the second end 106 of the central fabric segment 102.

In such an embodiment, the continuous loop of stretchable fabric 114 may be pushed through the hole 108 in the hollow central fabric cord 102 forming the first loop 110 extending from the first end 104 of the central fabric segment 102 and the second loop 112 extending from the second end 106 of the central fabric segment 102. The continuous loop 120 may be longer than the central fabric segment 102 when the continuous loop 120 is doubled over such that when the continuous loop 120 is placed through the central fabric segment 102, the continuous loop 120 forms a first loop 110 extending from the first end 104 of the central fabric cord 102 and the continuous loop 120 forms a second loop 112 extending from the second end 106 of the central fabric cord 102.

The continuous piece of stretchable fabric 114 may furthermore be attached at the first end 104 of the central fabric cord 102 such that the first loop 110 extends from the first end 104 of the central fabric cord 102 and may also be attached at the second end 106 of the central fabric cord 102 such that the second loop 112 extends from the second end 106 of the central fabric cord 102. The continuous piece of stretchable fabric 114 may be attached by sewing or otherwise as desired.

The loops 110 and 112 may alternatively be formed as loops 110 and 112 attached to the fabric 114 that is situated inside the hole 108 of the central fabric section 102, attached directly to the first end 104 and second end 106 of the central fabric segment 102, or the loops 110 and 112 may be formed by turning the material from which the loops 110 and 112 are formed back and sewing or otherwise attaching an end of the material to the continuous piece of stretchable fabric 114 to form each loop 110 and 112.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the hair retainer illustrated in FIG. 1 in use. In operation, a hair retainer 100 of the design recited hereinabove, having a central fabric segment 102, a first loop 110 extending from a first end 104 of the central fabric segment 102, and a second loop 112 extending from a second end 106 of the central fabric segment 102 may be used as follows. Strands of hair may be gathered as one might gather hair to place that gathered hair in a ponytail or otherwise as one might gather a group of strands of hair and those gathered strands of hair may be placed through the first loop 110 of the hair retainer 100. The first loop 110 may be turned and doubled over itself and the gathered hair may be passed through the first loop 110 a second time to add friction to the first loop 110 grasp on the gathered hair if desired. The hair retainer 100 may next be wrapped around the head of the user. That wrapping may cause a central portion 102 of the hair retainer 100 between the first loop 110 and the second loop 112 to circle the head of the user. For example, the central portion 102 may be positioned across the forehead of the user, on or below the hairline if the hair retainer 100 is being used to prevent moisture from passing from the face to the hair or from the hair to the face. The gathered strands of hair may then be placed through the second loop 112 of the hair retainer 100 one or more times. In that way, the hair retainer 100 may be held in place in its wrapped position by its attachment to the hair at each of its ends and its transit around the head of the user. The second loop 112 may be turned and doubled over itself and the gathered hair may be passed through the second loop 112 a second time to add friction to the second loop 112 grasp on the gathered hair if desired.

In one embodiment, a method of using the hair retainer 100 may include placing a bunched group of hair strands through a first loop 110 in the hair retainer 100, wrapping the body of the hair retainer 100 around the head of the user, and placing the bunched group of hair strands through the second loop 112 of the hair retainer 100. That method may also include turning the first loop 110 to double the first loop 110 over itself and passing the gathered hair through the first loop 110 a second time and turning the second loop 112 to double the second loop 112 over itself and passing the gathered hair through the second loop 112 a second time.

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of attachment of a first loop 110 of the hair retainer. In this embodiment, gathered hair is placed through the first loop 110, the first loop 110 is twisted, and the gathered hair is placed through the first loop 110 a second time.

FIG. 4 illustrates a view of an attachment of the second end of the hair retainer. After the first loop is attached, the central fabric segment 102 is wrapped around the forehead, possibly near the hairline above the forehead. The gathered hair that was placed through the first loop 110 is then placed through the second loop 112, the second loop 112 is twisted, and the gathered hair is placed through the second loop 112 a second time.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternations and applications could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements, apparatuses, and methods disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hair retainer, comprising: a central body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; a first loop extending from the first end of the central body; and a second loop extending from the second end of the central body; wherein bunched hair is placed through the first loop, the central body is wrapped around the head, and the bunched hair is placed through the second loop.
 2. The hair retainer of claim 1, wherein the first loop material and second loop material is stretchable.
 3. The hair retainer of claim 1, wherein the first loop and the second loop are formed of a single continuous material.
 4. The hair retainer of claim 3, wherein the single continuous material is an endless loop of material that is flattened where it passes through the central body and forms a first loop emerging from the first end of the central body and a second loop emerging from the second end of the central body.
 5. The hair retainer of claim 3, wherein the first loop is formed by attaching a first end of the single continuous material to the single continuous material near the first end of the single continuous material and the second loop is formed by attaching a second end of the single continuous material to the single continuous material near the second end of the single continuous material.
 6. The hair retainer of claim 3, wherein the first loop, the second loop, and the central body are formed of a single continuous material.
 7. The hair retainer of claim 3, wherein: the central body is hollow and has first and second ends and a hole extending from the first end to the second end through the hollow; and the first loop and the second loop are formed of an endless material that extends through the hole in the central body.
 8. The hair retainer of claim 7, wherein the single continuous material passes through the central body and the single continuous material is attached to the central body at the first end of the central body and the single continuous material is attached to the central body at the second end of the central body.
 9. The hair retainer of claim 1, wherein the first loop is attached to the first end of the central body and the second loop is attached to the second end of the central body.
 10. The hair retainer of claim 1, wherein the stretchable material is comprised, at least in part, of elastic.
 11. A hair retainer, comprising: a rolled fabric having a hole therethrough, a first end, and a second end; a stretchable cord situated within the hole in the rolled fabric, the stretchable cord having a first end and a second end; a first loop attached the first end of the stretchable cord and extending beyond the first end of the rolled fabric; a second loop attached the second end of the stretchable cord and extending beyond the second end of the rolled fabric.
 12. The hair retainer of claim 11, wherein the first loop and the second loop are formed on the stretchable cord.
 13. The hair retainer of claim 12, wherein the first loop and the second loop are formed on the stretchable cord by turning the stretchable cord back and attaching the stretchable cord to itself.
 14. The hair retainer of claim 12, wherein the first loop and the second loop are formed by placing a continuous loop of stretchable cord through the hole in the rolled fabric such that the continuous loop of stretchable cord extends past the first end of the rolled fabric and the continuous loop of stretchable cord extends past the second end of the rolled fabric.
 15. The hair retainer of claim 14, wherein the continuous loop of stretchable cord is attached to the rolled fabric at the first end of the rolled fabric and the continuous loop of stretchable cord is attached to the rolled fabric at the second end of the rolled fabric.
 16. A method of using a hair retainer, comprising: placing a bunched group of hair strands through a first loop in a hair retainer; wrapping the body of the hair retainer around the head; and placing the bunched group of hair strands through a second loop of the hair retainer.
 17. The method of using a hair retainer of claim 16, further comprising turning the hair retainer and placing the bunched group of hair strands through the first loop a second time.
 18. The method of using a hair retainer of claim 17, further comprising turning the hair retainer and placing the bunched group of hair strands through the second loop a second time.
 19. The method of using a hair retainer of claim 16, further comprising positioning the body of the hair retainer on the forehead.
 20. The method of using a hair retainer of claim 16, further comprising one of washing one's face and applying cosmetics to one's face. 